What is a rhino pleco?

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The rhino pleco, also known as a chocolate pleco or alligator pleco, is a species of suckerfish with two horn-like protrusions on the end of its snout. These protrusions are actually extended nasal channels.

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Rhino plecos are freshwater fish that are native to South America, particularly the upper Amazon. Their scientific name is Pterygoplichthys scrophus. They get their common names from their armor plating and coloration. They have alligator-like ridges along their sides, and their scales are dark, ranging from black to chocolate brown. They are omnivorous but feed mostly on large algae and aquatic plants. Like other plecos, they are primarily bottom-feeders.